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I put up with the blacking out of Tigers Weekly even though it's still asinine. If the Tigers pre and post game shows will now be blacked out (I've never seen Tigers Live blacked out until yesterday) per MLB or FSD I will be canceling sports pack.

Ive been noticing this more and more on the rsn's where the pre and post game shows are getting blacked out. I noticed the same thing happened last night when I had Primeticket turned on waiting for the Padres/ Giants game to start. They had the pre game show blacked out on that channel too. Like you said if they are going to start blacking out all the other content on the rsn's there is no reason to subscribe to the sports pack at all.

Seems like to me it defuses excitement for the game. I don't see were it helps build fan base at all. Apparently the all mighty dollar rules here. It must have something to do with advertising where a commercial gets viewer-ship outside of the intended market so basically free advertising without compensation.

Seems like to me it defuses excitement for the game. I don't see were it helps build fan base at all. Apparently the all mighty dollar rules here. It must have something to do with advertising where a commercial gets viewer-ship outside of the intended market so basically free advertising without compensation.

If that's true it would be the regional network blacking it out which I don't think is the case. It seems like it always comes to MLB "rights" to highlights. What century is this? How does MLB or the RSN benefit by not providing a legal avenue to this type of programming.

Well the end of out-of-market pre and post game shows is near. Just got an e-mail from Fox Sports Detroit. MLB is blacking out all pre and post game shows for everyone not in a specified team's territory. I'll be canceling sports pack tomorrow. Thanks MLB for not allowing your fans who pay hundreds of dollars a year for your programming by not letting them watch it.

Well the end of out-of-market pre and post game shows is near. Just got an e-mail from Fox Sports Detroit. MLB is blacking out all pre and post game shows for everyone not in a specified team's territory. I'll be canceling sports pack tomorrow. Thanks MLB for not allowing your fans who pay hundreds of dollars a year for your programming by not letting them watch it.

Whenever someone cancels blackout pack an angel gets its wings.

DIRECTV customer

All comments are my own. Unless specifically stated, my views do NOT represent the views of other DIRECTV customers

Cardinals Live and Diamondbacks Live are both blacked out tonight, so there is no pregame show for that game tonight if you're OOM. The stupid thing, though, is if you tune to Game Mix, the Dbacks pregame is on.

What is the point in blacking out pregame shows? What broadcast rights are being protected (i.e. who is actually benefiting from this policy)?

I understand the blackouts of local market games. If the Cardinals are playing the Dbacks, it makes sense to black out the Dbacks feed in Cards territory. FS Midwest pays big money for rights and wants local Cards fans to watch their broadcast to increase their ratings and therefore increase their advertising revenue.

I really don't understand blacking out pregame shows to out-of-market viewers, though. What's wrong with somebody in Maine watching Dbacks Live on FS Arizona. There's no TV outlet in Maine that would be broadcasting a similar show. I've also never understood the blackouts of replays or other shows (coaches shows, etc.) by MLB for the same reason. No rightsholder is losing by showing those programs to out-of-market viewers.

Cardinals Live and Diamondbacks Live are both blacked out tonight, so there is no pregame show for that game tonight if you're OOM. The stupid thing, though, is if you tune to Game Mix, the Dbacks pregame is on.

What is the point in blacking out pregame shows? What broadcast rights are being protected (i.e. who is actually benefiting from this policy)?

It's completely idiotic. MLB loses, the RSN loses, the advertisers on RSN lose, the team loses, and the fan lose.

I really don't understand blacking out pregame shows to out-of-market viewers, though. What's wrong with somebody in Maine watching Dbacks Live on FS Arizona. There's no TV outlet in Maine that would be broadcasting a similar show. I've also never understood the blackouts of replays or other shows (coaches shows, etc.) by MLB for the same reason. No rightsholder is losing by showing those programs to out-of-market viewers.

There's a few theories out there. Don't know if any or all of them are correct. MLB could be protecting the local team's RSN by not allowing the out of market viewership. You state no rights holder is losing by showing these, but actually any time you turn the channel from your local RSN they are losing viewership which equates to a loss of advertising. Some also believe MLB blacks out the local pregame shows in hopes to up the viewership of the MLB Network programming. ESPN pays a lot for the Sunday night games. Maybe there is some agreement between them and MLB not allow the pregames shown in hopes folks will turn over to SportsCenter.

It stinks, but I sort of understand it. I just wish they make them available as part of Extra Innings. As of now those shows are not.

I have no idea how the agreement works between the League, the teams, and teams broadcast partners with the the sports packages. I'm sure the League benefits, the team benefits, but does the broadcaster that pays the team for the rights to carry that team get anything? We pay the league for the right to watch something other than our local RSN. I'd imagine the local RSN is not too happy about that. Sure, they may get out of town viewership as well, but how many people watching a Cubs game in South Florida would be interested in buying a car advertised at a Chicago Dealership?

You state no rights holder is losing by showing these, but actually any time you turn the channel from your local RSN they are losing viewership which equates to a loss of advertising.

Local RSNs undoubtedly lose out on a relatively small number of viewers due to out-of-market programming, but if MLB and their rightsholders were truly concerned about it, there would be no MLB Extra Innings package.

Some also believe MLB blacks out the local pregame shows in hopes to up the viewership of the MLB Network programming. ESPN pays a lot for the Sunday night games. Maybe there is some agreement between them and MLB not allow the pregames shown in hopes folks will turn over to SportsCenter.

Again, if that were the case, there would be no out-of market programming at all, especially no MLB Extra Innings, which definitely steals more viewers from ESPN and MLB Network than pregame shows.

It stinks, but I sort of understand it. I just wish they make them available as part of Extra Innings. As of now those shows are not.

I agree that MLB EI should show pregame and postgame shows, but in the end I really don't care. I just want to be able to see them somehow. If that means I have to buy Sportspack from D*, then so be it. However, don't black them out and tell me that the only way to see them is to live in a team's local market.

I have no idea how the agreement works between the League, the teams, and teams broadcast partners with the the sports packages. I'm sure the League benefits, the team benefits, but does the broadcaster that pays the team for the rights to carry that team get anything? We pay the league for the right to watch something other than our local RSN. I'd imagine the local RSN is not too happy about that. Sure, they may get out of town viewership as well, but how many people watching a Cubs game in South Florida would be interested in buying a car advertised at a Chicago Dealership?

At some point, MLB needs to think about its fans. Local blackouts are restrictive enough, and those alone should be enough to satisfy the local rightsholders. Next, they should keep their fans happy. Start showing pregame/postgame shows and replays to all EI and/or sportspack subscribers!!!

Yesterday after the Tigers game the post game was blacked out on the MLB EI channel. However I have the Sportspack and the post game was in the clear on Fox Detroit. I am in NH so I am not in the Detroit DMA. The game search even brought me to Foxsports Detroit after the game.

There's a few theories out there. Don't know if any or all of them are correct. MLB could be protecting the local team's RSN by not allowing the out of market viewership. You state no rights holder is losing by showing these, but actually any time you turn the channel from your local RSN they are losing viewership which equates to a loss of advertising. Some also believe MLB blacks out the local pregame shows in hopes to up the viewership of the MLB Network programming. ESPN pays a lot for the Sunday night games. Maybe there is some agreement between them and MLB not allow the pregames shown in hopes folks will turn over to SportsCenter.

I understand your first theory here, but I can't imagine it comes to fruition much in reality. I'll give an example. My favorite team are the Braves. I live in Tampa where we have the Rays. I have Extra Innings. Let's say both games start at 7, meaning their respective pregame shows start at 6:30. If the Braves pregame is blacked out which I am watching because I like the Braves, why would I go watch a pregame show for a game I have no plans on watching? It's almost as stupid if someone wants to watch and isn't an EI sub. It's possible that someone who likes his team but doesn't subscribe could watch the pregame shows enough times they may decide what the heck, I'll order it so I can see the games. I know there are diehards like me who will watch a baseball game pretty much because it's on, but the majority aren't like that. Chances are if their team isn't on, they aren't watching period.